Controversy Heats Up On Republican Members’ Choice of “Prince of Pork” Hal Rogers to Lead

Controversy Heats Up On Republican Members’ Choice of “Prince of Pork” Hal Rogers to Lead Appropriations

Yesterday, House Republican Members, including newly elected Freshmen, chose the “Prince of Pork” Hal Rogers to be the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee despite Rogers’ long history of spending taxpayer dollars on hundreds of pet projects.

The controversy has erupted about how House Republicans have so quickly undermined the central promise they made during the 2010 campaign: to reduce government spending. The Prince of Pork – who had 135 earmarks at a cost of $246 million in the past two years – now claims he will enforce the House Republicans earmark ban. The Fox isn’t just guarding the hen house, he moved inside.

Don’t take our word for it, check it out for yourself in the following CNN AC360, ABC News, and MSNBC Countdown clips.

Former Earmark Fan Worries Fiscal Hardliners (Wall Street Journal). Mr. Rogers's reputation for sending taxpayers' money to his home state also highlights why some fiscal conservatives are asking whether he's the right man to chair the House Appropriations Committee, a post his fellow House Republicans gave him Wednesday. [WSJ, 12/9/10]

'Prince of Pork' to Approps chair (POLITICO). Rep. Hal Rogers may have sworn off earmarks as he lobbied his way into the powerful House Appropriations Committee chairmanship, but there’s a reason he’s earned the nickname “Prince of Pork.” Over the past two years, Rogers has requested $175,613,300 in earmarks, including funding for a cheetah protection nonprofit that his daughter works for. [POLITICO, 12/9/10]